Five killed in unathorized takeoff

AVALON, CA – A quiet evening on California’s Catalina Island turned tragic when a twin-engine Beechcraft 95 plummeted shortly after an unauthorized takeoff, claiming the lives of five individuals, including the plane’s owner, 73-year-old Ali Reza Safai. The ill-fated flight departed from Catalina Airport near Avalon around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, according to reports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Avalon Station responded to an SOS alert from the aircraft, only to discover the devastating scene. All five adults on board were pronounced dead at the location, though the identities of the pilot and the remaining passengers have yet to be confirmed.

While the incident remains under investigation, airport officials noted that the aircraft did not have clearance for the nighttime departure. Catalina Airport, perched at an elevation of approximately 1,600 feet, operates strictly between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pilots are allowed to fly outside these hours only if pre-arranged with the airport.

The aircraft had landed at Catalina Airport at around 6:20 p.m. that same day. According to Carl True, the airport’s general manager, while the pilot had arranged for a post-5 p.m. landing, no such clearance was granted for takeoff. The airport’s 3,000-foot runway lacks lighting, prohibiting flights after sunset.

Despite this oversight, the unapproved takeoff was not deemed illegal. Among the victims were Haris Ali, 33, and Margaret Mary Fenner, 55. The identities of two other male passengers, both in their 30s, have not been disclosed pending notification of their families.

Images released by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office’s Special Enforcement Bureau depict the wreckage as severely damaged, with the plane’s tail section found approximately 300 feet from the crash site, as detailed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Grayson Kline.

Ali Reza Safai was a respected flight instructor at Santa Monica Airport and had managed Santa Monica Aviation until its closure in 2018. His aircraft was stationed there, though it remains unclear if he was at the controls during the crash. Proteus Flight School, another Santa Monica-based operation, noted that Safai had offered to assist stranded Proteus members on Catalina Island due to mechanical issues, highlighting his dedication to the aviation community.